My Sister

Psalms 147:5

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.

My sister is coming to visit the island and I can’t wait until she gets here.  It is truly a time of pure enjoyment as we play, laugh, talk and even disagree. We find it irresistibly fun to run on the beach collecting sand dollars and challenging each other on who has found the most shells. There isn’t anything better than a baby sister who knows and understands me inside and out. Always accepting me despite my faults and shortcomings.  Being there for me during the trials of my life and I returning the favor to her.  She truly is the only person who can bring a rolling giggle from my soul.  I just simply love my sister!  

God is absolutely understanding of who I am too.  He knows everything about me and has since the very beginning.  Throughout my life He has guided me through the hard and difficult times and rejoiced with me when goodness and mercy were gracious to me. It is in this relationship I have become to know God and trust Him to guide my life.  Lent gives us time to pause and evaluate if we completely trust God with our lives.  Are we willing to ask him for forgiveness, and commit to following His way?

There are many women who can bring out the best in me--- cousins, aunts and good friends.  But none compare to the relationship that I hold so dear with my sister. Our time together will be short but the understanding and love that my sister brings to me will last a lifetime. TOTT

O Gracious God,

You have given me a precious gift in my sister and I thank you.  Your understanding of me is infinite and I praise your name and honor your ways. I ask for strength for my trials in life and trust You will see me through the good and the bad times of life.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 Commitment for today: If you have a sister, tell her how much you love and appreciate who she is.

Sunshine---My uncle always said, "He worries about a man who doesn't love a dog!"

Sunshine

Proverbs 19: 22

What is desirable in a person is loyalty…

New Oxford Annotated Bible

In December 2008, we put to sleep our old (nearly 15) but loyal Golden Retriever, Sunshine. We got Sunny when our daughter was 10 years old.  At that time Laura asked, “How long will Sunny Live?”  I promised she would see her graduate from college and Sunny did.

Sunny was technically Laura’s dog. Laura had a love/hate relationship with her. Sunny tormenting her by stealing her gloves on the cold winter days or jumping on her as Laura screened “Mommy get her off, I don’t like this dog!” but toward the end of Sunny’s life she was a constant comfort and loyal buddy particularly through Laura’s Kidney Cancer and recovery --- always by her side. Laura returned the favor to Sunny and was by her side when she was put to sleep. Laura loved that dog very much.

Of course my husband David thought Sunny was his dog. He was the one who fed her every morning and “rough housed” with her by playing tug -of- war, even to the end of her life. After a hard day in the business world she would greet him with a wagging tail eager for that long walk with him to ease the stress of the day.

 But I know that Sunny was my dog!  Our relationship was very special. I was the one who brushed her, talked to her, and even had to hunt her down when she escaped from the yard. Since I work from my home, she was always at my feet as I worked, always listening attentively to my ranting about my work or waiting for a gentle pat when my work was completed. On cold days she even kept my feet warm. She was a constant companion.

We all claimed a very personal relationship with Sunshine and she allowed it too. Her loyalty to each of us was never wavering. Something we could always count on.  Is this not the way we are with God?  We all claim a personal relationship with Him and God wants it that way too.  He comforts, relieves stress, listens to our rants and raves, celebrates with us and even allows us to work through a love/hate relationship with Him knowing in the end we will love him. He will be loyal to the end and He expects us to be too.  His Perfect Grace is offered to us continuously. Just as the Proverbs claim Loyalty makes a person attractive, it is fitting that God’s loyalty makes Him very attractive to us.

I will miss that old dog, Sunshine, but how wonderful that God gave us a creature that brought such loyalty and happiness to each of our lives.

TOTT

Dear God,

Thank you for your unconditional love and grace. Many times we don’t deserve it but Your Loyalty to us is a constant in our lives. Amen

Assignment for today: Defined a loyal person in your life and thank them for their trustworthiness. Of course if it is your dog, give him/her an extra part today

Alone on the Beach is a very special time to reflect and search for God.

       

         Alone on the Beach

        

           

 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? To be out of your Sight? If I climb to the sky, you are there! If I go under ground, you are there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, you’d find me in a minute--- you’re already there waiting!

Psalms 139: 7-10

Today my walk is unusual. The sky is a beautiful azure blue color; the air is crisp like a Chicago October day; and the ocean laps gently on the shore as it sparkles brilliantly.  I walk the entire 3 miles walk and don’t see a soul.  There are no shells or sand dollars to be found as they are all covered by sand.  It is in between high and low tide.  The shore birds are absent and even the dolphins aren’t offering their daily show.  I realize I am alone!  I look around and soak in the splendid beauty of the silence. No, sh… listen, in this silence I hear God.  Suddenly I feel warm inside---maybe it is because I over dressed for the walk or could it be God warming my soul.  It is a magnificent feeling!

So how does God warm your soul?  May times we forget that in silence God speaks.  Just listen carefully.   Just as the words in the song declare Here I am Lord, Is it I, Lord I have heard you calling in the Night (Day) I will go Lord if you lead me I will hold your people in my heart.

Take the time daily to find God in silence. I ensure you it will be the most unusual walk you can take. TOTT

Dear Lord,

Help me to find my silence so that I can have you warm my soul.  I surrender to you as I hear you calling to me.  I will hold you in my heart. Amen

Commitment for today: Seek God in silence; seek God in beauty; seek God being alone; and seek God in your life.

The Dreaded "C"

Periodically my daughter, Laura Krumwiede Scott will share intimate writings of her journey and recovery from kidney cancer. Today Laura is six years cancer-free, and is a preschool teacher who loves being Ainsley’s momma. This writing appeared in the Purdue University Cancer Website.

            The Dreaded “C”

                                              

My story begins my senior year at Purdue in 2007. Everything was going well; I was on schedule to graduate in December. Around Halloween I got what I thought was a cold. Just your normal symptoms, a cough coupled with aches and a low-grade fever. But I couldn’t shake it. Days became weeks and I still felt bad. “It’s the stress,” I told myself. I figured all the late hours studying and heavy course load were finally catching up with me. Thanksgiving was nearing and I was hoping the time off would help.

Over Thanksgiving break I decided to see my doctor, just in case. He thought I had bronchitis. We took a chest X-ray. By sheer luck, the X-ray was positioned low enough that my kidneys were seen. And there, on one of my kidneys was something that wasn’t supposed to be there. Further tests were ordered and it was confirmed to be cancer.

Two days after Christmas I had my left kidney removed and I’ve been cancer-free since, though I’m still worried it will resurface somewhere else in my body.

I know I was very lucky. My cancer was found very early and treated by traditional surgery. But everyone isn’t as lucky. We need to find ways to detect everyone’s cancer early, treat it more effectively and ultimately cure it. It’s only through the work of basic research centers, like the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, that we’ll be able to eliminate cancer from our lives.

The Moonbeam

The Moonbeam

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness.

John 8:12

The light awakens me from a deep winter slumber. It is as though a spotlight is shining on my very being.  I stir and realize it is a moonbeam streaming through the slats of the shutter.  It is beautiful but eerie at the same time. Even though it is in the middle of the night, I don’t mind the light from the heavens flowing down on me and taking away my slumber.  A sense of complete joy overcomes me and soothes my soul. I relish in this moment of rapturous delight.

Jesus is often referred to the “Light Of the World” and on this glorious night I feel the presence of Jesus surrounding me.  Our promise as Christians is that through the darkness of night the Light of Jesus will guide and protect us.  So often we try to go it alone when we experience the darkness in life. Alienation from the world disconnects us from each other. When our sins cause confusion inside us and weakness conquers our minds, it is time to reach for the guiding light called Jesus. We often forget to bathe ourselves in the “Light of the World.”

I smile. All at once an inner peace and a sense of tranquility prevail over me. I gently lay my head back on my pillow and try to imagine how far that moonbeam has traveled to touch my soul ---quite an awesome thought.

TOTT

Dear Heavenly Father,

You are the awesome God who prevails over me. In the times of dark moments, confusion and dismay, I seek you to guide and direct me to follow the “Light of the World.”  Thank you for sending Jesus so we may follow His Way seeking peace and understanding.

 Amen.

Commitment for Today: Seek a time for peace and tranquility in your day---Pray,

Meditate, and Be Still. Bathe your soul in the satisfaction that you are following

 “The Light Of the World.”

BUBBA

Bubba

Proverbs 4:14

“Do not set foot on the path of the wicked…”

Bubba is legendary alligator on Kiawah Island, the sister island next to Seabrook.  He is about 12 feet long and waddles greatly when he moves.  There are many folklore stories regarding Bubba. Some say he ate a small man, and others say it was just a dog. Whatever the legends are, he is very intimidating particularly to the golfers on the course who avoid him at all cost. I had the privilege to experience him too. One afternoon as I rode along in the golf cart, my friend Florence called out: “ There he is” I had to take a double look because I thought it was a log resting on the bank of the 16^th hole but no it wasn’t a log resting, it was Bubba sprawled right smack in front of the hole.  How daunting!  It was like he was the keeper of the hole and you better not approach it because it was all his.

Whether or not Bubba is wicked or mainly harmless with an intimidating look, he rules any pathway on the golf course. Just as in our daily living, God wants you to use your wisdom and as the scripture in Proverbs suggests choosing a new path when evil or harm arises and “turn from it and go on your way.”   God’s grace and wisdom will continue to guide you through times of intimidation or even a tumultuous pathway.

Bubba will continue to add to his notorious legend and be the great intimidator.  As you walk the pathway of life, choose a trail that leads you away from harm and intimidating times of fears, doubts and uncertainty instead choosing a path that turns you towards our gracious Lord.

TOTT

Loving Father,

Protect us and give us wisdom to choose the correct pathway for our lives. Help us stand up to those intimidating moments.

Amen

Commitment for Today: Examine your life pathway, are there harmful and intimidating objects in your way? Today is the day to rid your life of them.

The Abandoned Shrimp Boat

The Abandoned Shrimp Boat

Colossians 1:20-22

And through him to reconcile to himself all things whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross…

This writing was written several years ago when I first came to Seabrook Island on vacation.

Across Seabrook Island, there is an abandoned shrimp boat that is wrecked on the shoreline where the Edisto River meets the Atlantic Ocean.  It has been there many years and every time I go back to my favorite vacation spot, it captures my imagination.  Why is she there? Was the vessel wrecked due to a violent storm or unfortunate seafaring of the captain? Who abandoned her and doesn’t someone care about the craft? Surely the boat is worth something to some one. But no, there she continues to rest on the shore embedded in the sand and sea shells with the sea grass waving around her--- her mast tilled and bow point out to sea. No one seems to claim the vessel and every day many shrimp boats chug by her going out to sea to make their daily catch and back in to the shrimp stations to drop off their catch.

How many times in our lives have we abandoned someone that once meant or was of importance to us?  Did we leave that someone stuck in the sand because we couldn’t figure out how to dig out of the hurt because it was too deeply embedded in our existence? Maybe it was a relationship gone a wry and we just couldn’t rise above our pride to fix it. Or maybe it was so hurtful and the damage so severe that in our minds it just couldn’t be repaired. We just continued are daily habits of going out to sea in our every day routine bypassing the problem

God demands us to be a people of reconciliation. It is through the resurrection of Jesus we are a forgiven people but only if we seek and ask for our forgiveness. Our challenge is not only to ask God for forgiveness, but also to be reconciled with those we have hurt or abandoned. This is God’s Grace!

That abandoned shrimp boat will always hold my imagination as long as she is stuck in the shore.  I would love to know her story and I will continue to wonder why she was left and will she ever be reconciled with her crew.

Our Loving Father,

It is so easy for us to just abandon relationships in our lives because it is too difficult to find the courage, strength or to let go of our pride so it can be repaired. We allow “stuff” get in our way preventing us to love relationships not just things.  Please place in our hearts your desire of reconciliation.  Mend our hearts and lead us to your way. Amen

TOTT

Commitment for today: Reach and reconcile with someone that you may have hurt or abandoned due to your pride. Pray for forgiveness.

Snow on the Beach

Snow On the Beach

They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God.”

Luke 20:21

NIV

Today it is snowing on the beach. The flakes are the big and sticky type.  It is very strange to be standing on the beach with it snowing.  It doesn’t seem normal and it isn’t for this region--- an occurrence about every ten years.  Snow looks different when in is out of place.  Your mind has trouble registering that it is actually snow, but it is still fluffy, wet, sticks to your eyelashes and beautifully formed crystals, Gods’ work of art --- even on the beach!

As Christians many times we may feel out of place.  We may consider ourselves to be an outsider in our surroundings that makes us feeling strange and not normal.  Jesus may times found himself in unfamiliar places. People casted Him as different and not normal for what they envision the Messiah to be.  But He continued to meld among the forbidden people of society---- the beggars, prostitutes, diseased, and sinful people of the world.  He knew the outcast of society were to be loved just like any other human beings because they were created by God too.

Just like snow on the beach, we as Christians are placed in environments where we in a situation that is uncomfortable or we feel of place and not a normal situation. Jesus calls us to reach out of our realm and discover the beautiful formed crystals of God’s work on the beach of life.

Dear God of Wonder

We thank you even when it snows in out of the realm places.  Please open our hearts to accept the forbidden people of this world and see the crystal beauty of each person that you have created.  Guide us to be comfortable in uncomfortable and help us to be normal in the abnormal situations of life.

You are the great Creator and Lord of All.

Amen. TOTT

Commitment for today: Ask the question what is my “out of place” zone?  Identify how you can reach out to open your heart and see the beauty in another person, place or the uncomfortable situation.

The Perfect Day on the Beach

The Perfect Day on the Beach

Psalms 89:15-16

How happy are the people who know the sound of joy! They walk in the light of Your face, O Lord. They are full of joy in Your name all day long. And by being right with You, they are honored.

New Life Version Bible

It is a perfect day on the beach!  The sky is a Carolina Blue dotted with puffy white clouds.  The ocean is rolling with gentle waves and the water is a soothing temperature that cuddles with the inner soul.  The tranquil ocean breeze baths my lungs and I feel invigorated.  Even the shorebirds know it is a perfect day as the Pelicans peacefully soar; the Seagulls gently laugh; and the Skimmers gracefully glide the water for their catch. I even found a complete sand dollar topping off the perfect day that God created.

I wonder what Jesus’ perfect day was. Was it the day as a young boy he entered the temple claiming this is His Father’s House.  Even a better day may have been when John the Baptist baptizes him.  Or is it the day He arose from the dead ascending to heaven to sit on the right hand of God the Father.  God sent His only Son Jesus to offer us an everlasting life.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd leading each of us with joy and happiness.  Just like the perfect day on the beach, Jesus has promised a perfect walk with Him if we choose to follow him. 

Let us focus on the perfection in our lives which following Jesus will bring us. It is through our own baptism and the words “Christ is Risen” that we are promised an everlasting life filled with perfection. Once in a great while we are privileged with a perfect day on earth, so now ask your self  “What is your perfect day?”

O Perfect Father,

I thank you for the perfect days you give me, as they are glimpse of your Holy Kingdom and fill me with joy.  Guide me through the days to come to be more perfect in your love and understanding.  I praise your name and thank you for sending Jesus to give me the promise of everlasting life.

In your name we pray,

 Amen.

Your commitment for today: Identify your perfect day and praise God.

Happy Valentine's Day! Today I start my "Waters of my Soul" blog on a very special day, not only is it a day of love, but a day of three generations of birthdays in my family.  My mother Frances, my sister Mary Frances and my niece, Rachel all have a Valentine birthday. Each of them are Aquarius just as I am---the water bearer. Maybe this heavenly influence is why I have always loved and lived close to  water.

My childhood was spent on a farm in Rush County Indiana where the Little Flat River ran through the land creating a wonderful escape for me to walk along the bank with my Collies seeking solace and a understanding of who I was, strengthening my inner being. I spent many sunny days walking along the banks embracing the world surrounding  me. It was a surreal experience to grow up always able to be by the river.  Unfortunately this enjoyment was brought to a grievous end when my father passed away when I was thirteen. And so did the "Waters of the Little Flat Rock."

The continuation  to live by various body waters persisted throughout my life---Lake Freeman, Du Page River, May Watts pond,  and now the Atlantic Ocean on Seabrook Island SC. Even our dog Moses, was born between the mighty Mississippi River and the Illinois River thus he's pedigree name Moses of the Mighty Waters.

My husband David has learned to love the water as much as I do. He knows the strength I gather on trail walks, sitting by the water edge and of course  all of the special beach walks we have taken. When he asked me to marry him, he took me back to my cherished Flat Rock River and proposed to me while sitting by the river. Thirty-five later I still carry with me the freshness of that very special day.

One of the holiest events of my life was when I was baptized by submersion at the age of twelve. I still remember the warm feeling as I accepted the Holy Spirit into my soul. This brings me to the reason I have created this blog. In the coming days I will be posting many of my Christian writings which will reflect my journey through the shedding the water of tears due to sadness, grieve, loneliness, illness as well as tears of  celebration, laughter and joy. In addition, I will post my daughter's journal as she writes her thoughts of the struggles of being a micro preemie and  her desolate days of fighting through  kidney cancer at the tender age of twenty-three. It is my hope you may connect with some of my thoughts as you flow through "The Waters of My Soul."  TOTT